1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for shaving, and more particularly, to an electric shaver with a shaving blade which moves parallel to the cutting edge thereon.
2. Prior Art
Numerous electric shaving instruments now in use employ the common feature of moving a cutting blade or bar through the hair or fur to be shaved. The action of the blade against the hair in conventional shaving apparatus may best be described as a chopping or shearing action between relatively moving blade edges and the direction of blade motion is basically perpendicular to the cutting edge.
A very limited recognition of the concept of moving a shaving blade parallel to its cutting edge, while drawing the blade along a path transverse to the cutting edge, is found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,552,455 issued to S. Shaler. While the Shaler reference employs longitudinal reciprocation of the cutting edge of a shaving blade, the system fails to provide a convenient and simplistic method of reciprocating the blade. Thus, there has developed an need for a system which provides a superior method of shaving hair or fur by moving a cutting blade parallel to its cutting edge, and thus transversely to the normal path of the blade through the area from which hair is being removed, in order to slice the hair and thereby provide a smoother cut.